


Snipping Doubt and Growing Faith

by SamJoinedtheReconCorps



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Chroma Conclave Arc, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Post-Episode 81, Whitestone (Critical Role), soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-17 16:20:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18968839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamJoinedtheReconCorps/pseuds/SamJoinedtheReconCorps
Summary: Keyleth's doubt brings her down but Vax is always there to help take the weight off her shoulders.





	Snipping Doubt and Growing Faith

**Author's Note:**

> heyyyyy! So I know I said I was gonna post a Grog/Reader, and I will, but right now I've been deeeeep in Marvel since the movie-that-shall-not-be-named released and I've been writing my fix-it fic for that because that shit hurted honestly 
> 
> Anyway though, this scene made me fucking soft so I just had to write it out! I just couldn't resist! I hope you guys like it!

Despite the drinking and being around each other and just being overall so grateful to be alive after the Siege of Emon and having killed Thordak and survived Raishan, the plans to go after the Diseased Deceiver certainly loomed over everyone’s heads as they all made their way to their rooms, putting a damper on their mood. They needed to rest and regain their strength if they were going to go after her once night fell.

Vax followed Keyleth to her room, the pair of them foregoing their (Vax’s) usual stealthy nighttime missions for once. They knew that with everything going on they wouldn’t really get teased about it. They kind of hoped that once night came that Vex or Scanlan would have a few choice words, a few jokes made at their expense. Then maybe things would feel a little less dire.

As soon as the door shuts behind them, Vax plunked down a bottle of - of something, some random liquor he grabbed as they’d left the dining area. He was sure whatever Whitestone had wouldn’t disappoint.

Pulling out Whisper, Vax motioned towards the bed, patting it invitingly. “Have a seat.”

Keyleth took a deep breath, a heavy sigh mingling with it on the exhale. “Okay,” she said, taking a seat beside Vax on the corner of the bed.

Without saying anything else, Vax turned and brought up Whisper, gently cutting off the singed edges of Keyleth’s already shorter hair. It’d grow back healthier if the edges were clean instead of the burnt, charred ends that the lava and fire had created.

A tiny smile tugged on Keyleth’s lips as she reached up and touched her hair a little self-consciously. “Do you like it shorter?”

It was quiet for a few seconds, the only sound being the rustle of her hair as Vax continued trimming the edges with Whisper. “I like you,” he finally answered matter-of-factly.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw that tiny smile again. Then he thought back on how her face had dropped when Percy had said that if they go after Raishan right that second that Scanlan and Keyleth should stay behind because they would only be targets. He had seen how helpless and disappointed in herself she’d felt. It pained him to know how much it had hurt her.

“And, ah, I,” he continued, the sure movements of his hands pausing for the briefest of seconds, “I see you doubting yourself. I see it, Kiki.” Another pause, but this time his hands kept moving through her hair. “But I’ve no doubts in you.” He moved on to another patch of hair, choosing not to comment on the tears he could see start running down her face. “I’ve known you for a long time now, and I have seen,” he took a second as he put his thoughts into words, “Strength in you growing.” More singed bits tumbled down between his fingers. “And I’m a fan. You’re going to make a great leader some day.”

Keyleth sighed again, her breath shuddery and her shoulders drooping. “I just feel like there’s so many people I could easily disappoint - I don’t want to,” she added in a rush.

Vax’s hands stilled. “You’re doing the very best you can with what you’ve been given,” he assured her, starting up with the trimming again. “And I have seen you rise again and again, and not stop and not back down.” He swallowed around the lump in his throat. “I mean, you fucking blow me away with the things you can do out there.” He moved to another bit of hair.

“You are beautiful.”

Snip.

“And you are talented. And you are strong as fuck.”

Snip.

Pause.

“And I can’t take the doubt away, I can’t do that.” Vax gently ran his hand through her hair, feeling her trembling as she tried to keep herself from breaking down. “But mix in with that my faith in you.” His hands started moving again, feeling as if he could cut away that little voice in the back of her head that kept making Keyleth doubt herself as he cut off her hair.

“Percy’s faith in you.”

Snip.

“Grog’s faith in you.”

Snip.

“Kerr’s.”

Snip.

“Vex’ahlia’s. Scanlan’s.”

Snip, snip.

“Allura’s.”

Snip.

“All of us.” He finally put the dagger down. “We are all behind you and we all believe in you. And we all love you.” Vax’s chest was heaving, his emotions getting the better of him. “And obviously I love you.”

“I love you,” she said, turning so that she could face him. Her face was shiny with tears. “You know, um, everyone comes from these backgrounds, having all these -” she paused, dropping her gaze for a second. “- Well ventured and travelled pasts.” She looked up at him, eyes soft, “You were the first people that I knew and met.” She glanced away as that small smile peeked out again, “So not only are you the longest - I don’t really have any other friends.” Meeting his gaze once more, he saw the vulnerability in her eyes as she said, “You are my family.” She swallowed hard, “I’ll try not to let you down.”

Vax shook his head. “I’ve no worries.” He brushed a few strands of hair out of her face, wiping some of the tears away, his fingers soft against her skin. “Look at you,” he whispered, his fingers trailing down her cheek. “Don’t you look like royalty.”

She caught his hand before he pulled away, holding it in hers. “I’m not a princess, remember?” she smiled.

He gave her a smile of his own, “That’s kind of what I like about you.”

That made Keyleth laugh lightly, and even though it wasn’t her bubbly, contagious laugh, it was enough to soothe the ache in his chest. It was enough to reassure him that everything would be alright.

“Would you do me a favor?” Vax asked.

Keyleth’s expression turned a little curious at that.

“Down the line, once all this is behind us,” he continued, schooling his face to seriousness. “Will you go back to the theater with me?”

When he saw the confused look on her face he couldn’t hide his smile anymore.

“What is it with you and the theater?” she said, shaking her head as she smiled back. A playful smile, as close to a carefree one as she could muster under the circumstances. “Wha-why?”

“I don’t understand it either,” Vax grinned.

She let out a quiet laugh, looking away before turning back to him. “As long as you go back to Zephra with me, maybe?” she answered, adding the tentative “maybe” to diffuse how loaded her request had seemed. She couldn’t bear the thought of Vax not wanting to go home to her people with her.

Before she could overthink and spiral into bad thoughts, Vax’s soft voice cut through to her.

“You don’t have to ask,” he said quietly, the promise in his words clear.

Keyleth ducked her head to hide the blush, her smile still in place when she turned to him. “Hair look okay?” she asked, this time trying to diffuse how emotionally heavy the conversation had turned. She was awkward at her best, and right now she was floundering to find the right words to say.

Vax decided to let her off the hook, leaning back and admiring her and his handiwork with a smile. “Are you kidding me?”

“Does the short thing kind of work?” She ran her hands tentatively through her hair, feeling weird that her hair ended where she was used to having it longer. “Does it work with my bone structure? ‘Cuz the antlers are overpowering it right?” She made a motion to her longer hair before pointing at her circlet. “Because the length kind of balanced out this, y’know?”

She was rambling, and she was so, so adorable, and Vax couldn’t help it. He leaned over and kissed her, soft and sweet.

At least at first. When Keyleth pulled him in closer, holding him to her and deepening the kiss, it was only natural for Vax to respond in kind as the sunlight filtered in through the cracks of the closed window and they tumbled into each other’s arms.

**Author's Note:**

> They're just so fucking cute and I just had to do this! I love them so much and I hope that you guys liked it! I'll try and be back with more Critical Role (and that Grog/Reader) fics as soon as I can!
> 
> This fic was based off this scene:  
> What Lies Beneath the Surface | Critical Role RPG Episode 81 - 3:46:03


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